1. Field of the Invention
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, various pivoting type mangers, watering troughs and and the like have been advanced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 149,349 shows a cattle trough that is capable of being rotated for dumping. The trough is mounted between two posts and pivots about a horizontal axis which is substantially centrally located on the trough configuration. Latches are provided on the support posts holding the trough in either an upright or an inverted position.
U.S. Pat. No. 316,435 shows a manger that is pivotably mounted about a central horizontal axis that is located at the top edge of the manger, and which can be rotated between two positions, against stops. It is supported between upright posts on its pivot members.
A feed trough which is mounted for dumping movement about an axis along one edge is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 339,694. U.S. Pat. No. 336,873 shows a pivoting trough used for railway stockcars. The trough can be dumped for cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 401,249 also shows a feed trough having a horizontal pivot axis for mounting with the axis positioned adjacent the upper edge of the trough.
U.S. Pat. No. 430,950 shows a pivoting trough for stockcars as well, and it has an axis of pivot to one side and adjacent the lower portions of the trough so that it can be dumped forwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,063,661 shows a stock trough that is mounted on the inside of a pen and is made so that it can be dumped through the slats of the pen about a horizontal axis adjacent the top and at one edge thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,102,371 shows a feed box or trough that also pivots about an axis adjacent one side and near the top, and which is used in a horse stall.
A watering trough which has a horizontal axis to permit pivoting upside down for dumping is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,133,755 and a hog trough also having a pivoting axis adjacent its lower edge is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,531,617.
A feed trough assembly that has mounts for a series of troughs, each of which is pivotably mounted for dumping about an axis adjacent one edge thereof is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,483.
The concept of having a feed trough mounted on a pivoting gate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,715,493. This patent, however, has a small opening in the lower edge of the gate, and includes a trough that is mounted about a pivot axis that is located above the trough. The trough has to be pulled with a handle for dumping, and it does not have any substantial hopper capacity.
A feeder is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,135,867 which has a trough section that can be pivoted forwardly for dumping.
The above examples are typical of the prior art devices, which show pivoting watering troughs and feed troughs. None disclose the use in a pen wall wherein a substantial opening is used, and the trough will block the opening as it is pivoted between a working or feeding position and a cleaning or dumped position, and wherein the feed trough and feeder have a filling opening that is readily accessible from the exterior of the pen. The present feeder permits a substantial amount of pivoting, for example, on the order of 170.degree. of pivoting, for dumping movement to clean.